In Between Notes
by Stultus Alio
Summary: This is a bunch of different stories based off of songs. I also pretty much suck at summaries.


AN: SO I hardly ever write fanfiction, but I was driving that lonely five hours home for thanksgiving and listening to my mix cds and just heard a few songs that I decided I had to write some fiction for them.

The stories will vary in length, pairings and subject, but probably always have Merlin and Arthur in them because I just love the way the act together.

This one's song is: _Continental Drift by Ozma_ (the song is the italicized words)

Pairing: Arthur/Merlin

Rating: pg-13

Warning: Snake creature, light violence

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Continental Drift<strong>_

_I'm bored, you're boarding the 504 out of town_

Merlin had to admit he was very bored, but then again he wasn't allowed to move or more like couldn't move, or breathe without a twinge of pain. He kept staring at the ceiling wondering when the pain would pass…or maybe he would pass. He blinked hoping something would change, but he knew in the end it wouldn't.

He could hear a commotion in the courtyard wafting through the window. He figured that was Arthur gathering his trusty knights to go defeat the monster that had done this to him; Arthur mounting his warhorse; Arthur riding to his death.

Wait.

No. He couldn't let that happen.

"G…Gaius," He tried to call out.

"Gaius!" He called out a little louder, sending shockwaves of pain through his body. Merlin tried to curl his body in an effort of the pain, but could barely move his fingers, let alone his body. He heard Gaius' footfalls on the stairs, quickly coming into his room.

"Merlin! You're awake?" The old man exclaimed.

Merlin let out a gasp of pain before trying to answer. "Arthur…stop Arthur."

"My boy, he's going to get the creature which attacked you. The beast must be killed to save you."

"It doesn't matter…it's a trap. Sh…she's going to kill them, kill him…"

_It's late, so look straight, don't pull your eyes off the ground_

Merlin let out a sorrowful moan when he heard the hunting party leaving.

_You sit and wait across the gate, the minutes stretch themselves so long_

He knew the moment Arthur crossed the threshold of the Citadel because an image of it flashed just before his eyes. Arthur seemed to stop a moment to look back upon the castle with hard, determined eyes, nodded his head and gave the order for the party to move out.

_You'll never be my destiny, because my destination's wrong__  
><em>

This was all wrong. Merlin was meant to be by Arthur's side when going to defend the land against some creature. He wasn't meant to be the damsel which was defended. He wasn't meant to be lying here useless. This all felt wrong.

The dull thudding pain started to spread through his body. It started to morph into a white, hot searing pain which was impossible to ignore. The tendrils of pain were all radiating towards his heart it seemed and when it reached his heart he let out a stifled scream of pain; his only relief coming when everything faded into an inky black darkness.

_Right coast, left coast__  
><em>_Drifting round and round__  
><em>_I'm lost, always, and i know i can't be found__  
><em>

Merlin was unsure where he was. There were voices from the future, from the past, from the present…all drifting along with him. He was unsure where he belonged. The voices seemed not to notice him.

_Who made these customs I can't seem to get past?__  
><em>_It's no use, since you've been born into a higher class__  
><em>_When I want you, and only you, somehow your baggage comes along_

Suddenly everything became clear. Merlin was looking in on a memory. Wow, he had to admit he looked ridiculous, handing Arthur a necklace…which did look girly.

"What's this _Mer_lin," Arthur turned the object over in his hand with a skeptical eye.

"A necklace," was the matter of fact reply he got.

"But of course. No I meant: What is this for?"

"It's a token…" Merlin couldn't really finish the statement because Arthur looked up at him in confusion and then disappointment and maybe just maybe there was a tint of shade something else in there too.

He knitted his brows together and then sighed. "Merlin…you know I can't…I mean I do, I really do lo…" He paused a moment he couldn't even admit that. "But I am King now. I have a responsibility to my people to find a Queen…produce an heir."

He tried his best not to look crestfallen. Like everything he had been working up to hadn't just been ripped away from, like a carpet being torn from under his feet. He put on his bravest face, the smile which hid it all and told everything, but revealed nothing.

"You giant prat, if you just let me finish. It's a token, a charm; a protection charm to be exact, so when I can't be around to protect you, the spell should protect you long enough for you to regain your senses."

"Right! Yes of course. Thank you." Arthur set the necklace down "You know only girls give each other Jewelry.."

"Well you started it sire, giving me a pendant with your crest on it in case I am 'acquired' by another nation, " He laughed slightly "Well sire, that is all I wanted. Sorry to gift and run, but I must be going. I promised Gaius I'd go pick up some herbs for him. His mobility has gone done the past few years."

Arthur seemed to hesitate to release Merlin from his presence, but soon assented.

Merlin hurried along the corridors of the castle and did not stop until he was outside the town. He made his way into the forest, then and only then did he sit down. He took a deep gasping breath. He should have realized, he'd known, but he should have just realized that the _King_ would not see him in the same manner he had seen him when he was the prince.

All Merlin could think about was the hurt. His heart was empty, he had been pushed to the wayside again. He started to settle down and decided this never happened. Nothing ever happened. He would spend a few hours out here and then everything would be fine; it would be as none of it happened. It would be fine.

Or so he thought. There was a rustling in the woods. Merlin wasn't sure exactly what to do, so he just called out. "Whoever it is skulking around in the woods best come out! You've just come upon the great court sorcerer of Camelot!" Merlin tried to sound as menacing as he could, but that did not exactly work when a man seemed to slither out of the underbrush. The man was more creature than man, with a snake bottom half and a flickering lizard tongue. His eyes were colored amber and seemed to give Merlin a piercing glare.

"The GREAT court ssssorcerer of Camelot? I am ssssshhhhaking in my boots." The snake man seemed to look down at his bottom half and Merlin couldn't resist the curiosity to look down too. The tail of the man-beast was actually curling around His leg. He tried to back up quickly, but his feet were swept out from underneath him. The tail went curling around his leg again, but this time lifting him. He was dangling upside down in front of the creature's face.

Merlin tried casting spells on the creature, but they all seemed to bouncing off. "I've been waiting for you Merlin. I've gotten a sssspell from a witch to keep your sspellsss from touching me." Merlin was a bit scared now, but he also had a working point. Find the witch's spell, take care of that and then …There was too much magic surrounding the creature. It was impossible, or he could just explode the…

"Agh!" Merlin yelled out as the man-beast bite into his side. Merlin tried to curl upon his side, but found it hard while upside down. Then the creature dropped him seemingly on his head. Merlin finally got to curl towards the newly inflicted wound. The man-beast slithered around Merlin making a hissing noise akin to a snake.

"Enjoy your mobility now, becausssse in a few ssscant hourssss you won't be able to move at all, at leassst not without pain. Then after a day you'll be dead. But no worriessss your friendsss will be coming. I ssssent them a noticsse that their little Ssssorcerer might be in danger. Sssoome knightsss are on their way now looking for you. I will kill them, and wait for a worried King and kill him too. Then Camelot will be mine."

"Your plan is…ah…Convoluted." Merlin mustered up all the magical strength he could and sent the creature flying. Watching it hit its head and fall unconscious. Merlin sighed placing his hand over his wound as he stood up. He had to get to the knights and warn them against going after the beast. It wasn't worth it, one man for many who would die if they came after it.

He got to the edge of the field and could see both Camelot and the Knights just leaving the castle. Merlin did the biggest gesture he could to get their attention. He could see some of them recognize him. He fell to his knees as the knights started riding towards him. He curled his hand around the wound. As they got close Gwaine called out.

"Merlin! We got a notice that you were in trouble. It seems to be correct, my friend you are bleeding all over yourself. So where is the creature, did you leave us knights some work or did you do it all yourself."

"Uhm…" was the most coherent thing he could get out.

"Never mind Merlin, let's get you back into the citadel. Fix you up." Merlin nodded in agreement as he was helped onto a horse.

The ride back took a scant few moments. He was quickly led to Gaius' by Gwaine and Elyan while Percival went with Leon to report to the King.

After Gwaine and Elyan left Gaius lifted his eyebrow as he bound Merlin's wound. "If you don't explain the venoms nature I cannot cure it."

"Help me to my bed and I'll explain there." Merlin could barely keep his self awake as he explained all that had happened with the beast.

"Merlin! You should have let them kill the creature when they came."

" 'm s'rry. Don't tell 'em"

"I refuse! When they come back I am telling them," Gaius said in a passionate manner.

"…no.." was Merlin final complaint before seemingly falling unconscious. It was all dark, but he could still hear Gaius puttering around. There was the sound of water dripping into a bucket and then he felt a cloth put onto his face. He heard more footfalls falling heavily across Gaius' workroom, hurrying steps up the stairs.

Hear heard Gaius' "Sire" and some sort of mumbled conversation. Merlin would have loved to have been awake to have his say in the matter.

The only thing that was clear was Gaius' resounding "Sire, he will die from the venom if the creature is not killed by tomorrow. I am sorry there just isn't anything I can do."

_And it never stops, no, it never stops, until i'm back where i belong_

There was some more mumbling as Merlin was thrown back into his dark abyss.

_Right coast, wrong coast__  
><em>_Drifting round and round__  
><em>_I'm lost, always, and i know i can't be found_

He found himself drifting to a new place. It was a field just outside of Camelot. He could see the knights scattered across the field, all seemingly bitten by the beast. And there on the other side of the field was Arthur and the creature.

_You can't see me across this great divide_

"ARTHUR!" He yelled but Arthur didn't hear him. Merlin thought to run across the field, but in the blink of his eye he transported from one side, to Arthur's side.

"Arthur, oh Gods Arthur! Get up, get up, get up." He repeated as the creature got closer.

"…And now it isss time for your Demissssse King of Camelot."

Merlin crouched down next to Arthur. "Arthur, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Arthur turned towards where Merlin had placed himself asking the air unsurely "…Merlin?"

The creature reared up for his attack on Arthur. Merlin touched his shoulder and suddenly from underneath Arthur's chainmail shined a blue light. Arthur looked to the light and Merlin realized that he was wearing the necklace he gave him. There was an unearthly scream and the beast seemed to disintegrate.

_I'm lost, always, if i'm not right by your side_

Arthur let out a sigh of relief as the ashes of the beast floated to the ground. "I swear to gods, Merlin," he started, staring back at the place he thought he felt Merlin, "That if this is your way of saving me after you died…If you are dead…I am finding a way to bring you back and then kill you again…Merlin..please…don't be…"

That was all he heard, Merlin seemed to be drifting away again. Maybe he was dead. He didn't feel pain anymore. Was this death? Was death just a bunch of floating in a dark abyss of nothing.

_Back where I belong_

Merlin saw the first time he laid eyes on the turrets of Camelot.

_Back where I belong_

The first time he met Arthur when he was being a giant prat.

_Back where I belong_

When he saved Arthur from Mary Collins and was appointed the position of Manservent.

_Back where I belong_

Valiant. The Poison Chalice. Nimueh. The Afanc. Morgause. The Questing Beast. Cornelius Sigan. Morgana. All those adventures.

_Arthur. _

_Back where I belong_

Merlin was wrong though, he felt pain start seeping back into his mental scope. The throb in his side, pulsating, letting him know he was still very much alive. He heard two sets of footfalls upon his stairs, the same from earlier: One Gaius, the other Arthur.

"Why isn't he awake?" Arthur asked in a frustrated voice. "The knights awoke moments after the creature fell, just like nothing had happened."

"Sire, You must understand that the venom might have affected him thoroughly …He might still…" Gaius stopped. No matter what he knew was right, he decided not to believe. Gaius left Arthur standing at the door.

_Back where I belong_

Merlin was unsure how much time had passed, all he knew was the fact that some time HAD indeed passed. Arthur's presence was no longer standing by the door, but had placed itself next to his bed. Merlin felt something take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. He then felt something soft and warm press against the top of his hand accompanied by a light, warm breeze.

Another moment passed and Merlin felt a droplet of warm liquid fall onto his hand and another. Then he heard the low rumble of Arthur's voice.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. I was wrong," A moment for a breath, to collect ones thoughts ", I love you, and I am willing to forget propriety. I want you. I need you, you need to wake up. I really am sorry…If we hadn't fought…you wouldn't have run off into the woods and wouldn't have taken on that creature. You would have been safe and warm. I could have had you wrapped in my arms safe and warm."

"I am so sorry…Merlin I am begging you…just come back to where you belong…"

_Back where I belong_

Merlin opened his eyes and waited for his vision to clear. He could see Arthur's head bent over his hand whispering his promises. Merlin gave the hand wrapped around his a weak, but supporting squeeze and answer "Okay," with an even weaker smile.

Arthur could only respond back by laying kisses onto Merlin's weak smile.

_Back where I belong_

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Next song will be One Day Robots will Cry by Cobra Starship<strong>_

_**Probably in a week or two, depending on how much work I need to finish**_

_**And finally if you have a song you want done tell me. Also include the characters/pairings you want and in what direction you hope to see it and I will try to deliver. **_


End file.
